This invention relates to dividers for use in cartons in which a handle is formed integrally with the divider. In particular, this invention relates to a structure in which the handle is detachably secured to the divider during the assembly of the divider and can be separated therefrom so as to be raised to extend above the carton in which the divider is located.
The divider of the type to which the present invention is directed is described in Canadian Patent No. 946,335. In this divider construction, the handle is initially connected to the anchor panel by so-called bars which are formed by cutting the divider panel in a manner which will serve to cause the bars to tear when the handle panel is lifted upwardly away from the anchor panel.
It has been found in practice that the preferred bar structure is a modified version of that illustrated in FIG. 5 of Patent 946,335 in which two bars are provided. The modification involves extending the uppermost and lowermost cut lines so that they extend downwardly and upwardly respectively in a spaced parallel relationship with respect to the angularly inclined portion of the Z-shaped central cut line.
It has been found that it is advantageous to provide two bars rather than the single bar which is illustrated in FIG. 7 of Patent 946,335 because the provision of two bars increases the strength of the initial connection between the handle panel and the anchor panel which is important during the initial forming and folding of the divider panel.
The handle described in Patent 946,335 is formed with a shoulder which bears against the folded upper edge of the anchor panel to support the weight of the carton and its contents when the carton is being carried by the handle. The strength of this shoulder is dependent upon the height of the shoulder panel. As is shown in FIG. 4 of Patent 946,335, the cut lines used to form the double bar connect includes cuts that extend above the horizontal severance plane along which the handle is severed from the anchor panel in use. As a result, the weakest point of the handle is along the line that extends from the intersection of the upper edge of the shoulder and the vertical side edge of the handle portion and the uppermost cut- line of the adjacent connecting bars.
It will also be noted that the pattern of the cut lines of Patent 946,335 is such that the cut lines of each set of connecting bars are identical to one another. That is to say, the cut lines are each of the same "hand". As a result of this structure, when the handle panel is initially raised, the panel will tend to move laterally. This results in a twisting or bending of the connecting arms and can make the initial tearing operation somewhat more difficult.
It will be noted that the free length of the interconnecting arms formed by the cut pattern of Patent 946,335 is relatively short. As a result, very little vertical movement of the handle is permitted before it is necessary to tear the bars to free the handle. Generally the most difficult operation involved in manipulating the handle panel to its raised position is the effort required to tear the connecting bars to release the handle from the anchor panel. This is made more difficult because it is necessary to apply the forces necessary to tear the handle before the handle is raised to a sufficient extent to provide good finger access to the opening in the handle.